


The Strength of Friendship Therein, Transcribed by Captain Strife-Valentine

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Series: Under The Wing of A Nibel Dragon [16]
Category: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Nibel Verse, Sephiroth Appreciation Week 2020, Time Skips, Wutai War (Compilation of FFVII)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27182689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: In which ShinRa's strongest SOLDIER finds comfort in bonds created.Sephiroth Week Day 3. UniformCONTAINS SPOILERS FOR NIBEL VERSE
Relationships: Angeal Hewley & Genesis Rhapsodos & Sephiroth, President Shinra & Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII) & Original Male Character(s)
Series: Under The Wing of A Nibel Dragon [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/722427
Comments: 20
Kudos: 71





	The Strength of Friendship Therein, Transcribed by Captain Strife-Valentine

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ FIRST: THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR EARLIER PARTS OF THE SERIES. 
> 
> I almost replaced this with more bby!Seph but I realized the Muses had a reason for it so...
> 
> Enjoy~

* * *

The skiff of leather against his gloved fingers made Sephiroth pause before he pulled the duster on all the way. Adjusting his Bangles took the work of seconds. 

He settled the pauldrons in place with distinctive clicks, adjusted the straps and then grimaced at his bare chest. 

ShinRa Public Relations Policy at its finest, though Genesis was allowed his outfit changes with some godsdamned _dignity_. 

He got to **_keep his shirt_** , at the very least. 

Sephiroth glanced in the mirror, snorted at the picture he made and crossed his arms over his chest. 

That would... help, maybe. 

He could look cool and confident while protecting himself from the cold.

* * *

Angeal hissed in sympathy as the cold air snapped around them during the President's speech. 

Sephiroth snapped his fingers behind his back to put up a faint Shield and a half-hearted Fira that warmed them all right up. 

"Well, that's one way of dealing with being shirtless;" Lt. Colonel Wolf snorted under his breath. "bit stupid but it works." 

"Only stupid if it doesn't work, sir," he fired back absently as the wind swept his hair and his duster up and to the side. 

"Y'know, you could pull that off—" General Thompson snorted, "If you were like a good six inches taller." 

"Valentines grow slow as the tide but I'm sure I'll fill out quite nicely, sir, enough to look you in the eyes if Chichiue is anything to go by." Sephiroth teased. 

The President droned on, the SOLDIERs behind him carrying on near silent conversations, all of them well versed in the art of public nonsense at this point. 

"Tell you what Seph, we'll go get you some platforms," Gen suggested. 

"Like yours? Over the knee and obnoxious?" 

"Duh, we clearly have to match. Poor 'Geal would look too much like he belonged with Don Corneo's thugs if he wore what we were," here he paused, "Sorry, 'Geal but-" 

"No, no, I remember the last conversation we had on it and you're right." Angeal shrugged minutely, "Besides, I'll let the two of you steal the spotlight while I take the glory." 

Genesis made a noise somewhere between an angry tom cat and an offended bird. 

Sephiroth barely covered his laughter by coughing into his hand. 

"Alright there, Strife-Valentine?" Vidar inquired. 

"Perfectly, Vidar," he chuckled. 

"Squad Lima, FRONT AND CENTER!" General Thompson barked. 

All three of them made their way to the front, Sephiroth wondering what he'd missed in the intermittent exchange of words. 

"1st Lt.s Hewley, Rhapsodos and Strife-Valentine are hereby to be promoted to the rank of Captain, in honor of the Wutai Campaign." 

Right. 

The only reason they were out here at all. 

The Honorable Lady Rei Himura had passed away sometime in the night and her son had taken over her position, inciting hostilities (or so the official ShinRa position went) against the Eastern Continent. 

ShinRa would proudly answer the call to defend the East. 

As ShinRa's strongest SOLDIER, he was presented front and center, despite or perhaps because of his parents' best efforts to keep him out of the spotlight. 

Sephiroth scowled briefly, a stolen moment of anger that smoothed out into cool indifference, something he'd learned from Chichiue.

"Lt. Hewley, step forward!" Angeal did, already in the deep blue of the Second Uniform. "Strip your pauldrons!" 

He duly did so, reverently placing them on the provided table. 

"Under the authority granted by ShinRa Electric Power Company, I convey the rank of Captain with your Pauldrons. Serve with distinction and honor." General Thompson said firmly as he assisted Angeal into the new set, clapping his hand on the new ones. "Good luck kiddo." 

"Thank you sir!" 'Geal saluted and did an about face, marching back to his designated spot in their Squad.

"Lt. Rhapsodos, step forward!" Genesis's strut forward was nearly insubordinate but the way the coat flared, it almost seemed deliberate. "Strip your pauldrons!" 

"Yessir," Gen replied with a nod, also stripping efficiently. He placed them a little haphazardly next to Angeal's but accepted the help getting into his new set. 

"Under the authority granted by ShinRa Electric Power Company, I convey the rank of Captain with your Pauldrons. Serve with distinction and honor," Thompson snorted as he leaned in close, "You're not a First yet, brat, just because you've got your fancy duster. You'll be great, one day, but not yet." 

"Yessir! Thank you sir!" Genesis barked back, the way satisfaction gleamed in his eyes meant that Thompson knew exactly what to say. 

Gen resumed his spot with a smile hovering about his lips. 

"Lt. Strife-Valentine, step forward!" Sephiroth glided across the stage and silently saluted. "Mr. President, if you would join me?" 

"Gladly, General!" The forced jovial tone made Sephiroth grit his teeth. ShinRa Sr. grated all up and down his Cetra senses; Sephiroth exercised his considerable control in keeping his expression neutral. "Hello, Lt. Strife-Valentine. How has your training been going?" 

"... Excellent, sir." 

"Still a SOLDIER willing to follow my orders?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Good, good! How do we do this, Thompson?" 

"Strip your pauldrons," Sephiroth peeled out of them with efficiency in under twenty seconds. "Under the authority granted by ShinRa Electric Power Company, I convey the rank of Captain with your Pauldrons. Serve with distinction and honor." 

He was helped into the silver pauldrons made specially for the coat, the double layer heavier than he anticipated. It forced him to roll back his shoulders and stand straight. 

"Serve me well, hmm, boy?" 

"Yes, sir." He said quietly, suppressing the faint but absolutely wild urge to bite the man touching him. 

"Wonderful!" He clapped Sephiroth on the shoulder and hissed in a breath as the metal rung against his skin. 

Sephiroth waited until the President was back at the podium to snort out a laugh. 

"Okay, that _was_ pretty funny," Thompson allowed with a snort of his own, "good control. Son, you're our best and brightest but don't forget, you're human too." 

"Yessir. Thank you, sir!" 

Oh, if only they knew...

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, complain, ect.


End file.
